Whether or not NFL teams will play a relatively normal 16-game schedule in 2020, play a full slate with a delayed start, be forced to play a shortened season after a late start or end up not playing at all due to the coronavirus pandemic is an unknown right now.
But we can dream can't we?
And if it happens, are the Chicago Bears a contender, a rising threat, or a team heading in the wrong direction?
I believe right now they are a rising threat based on the best defensive lineup in football, a boatload of talent on special teams, much improved depth at quarterback and an offense that while still an unknown should be improved over last season and may have enough weapons to be dangerous.
But in order to achieve contender status, what are the three biggest areas of concern, positions where they may still need to go to market and add more veteran street free agent talent to secure that status? And who is still available?
No. 1 is running back. For all of the mud slung at Mitch Trubisky and Matt Nagy last season over the precipitous step backward the offense took, we have no idea how much better they might have been with anything resembling an NFL rushing attack. We know how badly help is needed.
I like David Montgomery a lot, and I am very high on the possibility he has a breakout season this year. But even if he does, one top back just isn't enough. And while I love Tarik Cohen as a weapon, he just isn't an every-down back you can plan on giving 20-to-25 touches a game or ask him to consistently run between the tackles.
As much as we might all love to see either Ryan Nall, Artavis Pierce or Napolean Maxwell arrive as Ryan Pace's next great undrafted rookie free agent steal, you don't contend for NFL titles by buying lottery tickets.
There are some very good veteran running backs still available including Devonta Freeman, Lamar Miller and even a 32-year old LeSean McCoy that the Bears might be wise to consider putting a call into.
Lack of both depth and front-line talent at offensive tackle is a major concern. Bobby Massie is good enough on the right side when healthy, but he missed five games last season, and any objective observer must acknowledge there are real questions as to whether or not Charles Leno, while very durable, is even good enough on the left side.
Should either go down, the Bears current options are Packers castoff Jason Spriggs, who is a former second-round pick, eight spots ahead of Cody Whitehair in the 2016 draft. They could move Rashaad Coward back to tackle but only on the right side, or free agent Germain Ifedi is an option there, but he wasn't good enough at the position to stick with a Seattle team with O-line worries of its own. Ifedi is also currently your starting right guard, a position he is much better suited for. And if you move him, than you have a bigger problem at guard.
Yes, Jason Peters is still on the street and he is 38 years old, but he is also a future Hall of Famer, has significant experience with new offensive line coach Juan Castillo and even nearing social security is an instant upgrade over Leno, as would be 31-year-old veteran Cordy Glenn and possibly even Kelvin Beachum.
If the Bears are really going for it this year, it's hard to see why they wouldn't take a flyer on Peters.
While those appear to be the only two real needs right now, as good a pair of starters as Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith are, the depth behind them are all complete unknowns.
Remember the impact Nick Kwiatkoski and Kevin Pierre Louis had to make last season?
Alec Ogletree, Nigel Bradham and Mark Barron have all been quality starters in the league and all are currently on the street.
At least one addition at each of those three spots could very well be exactly the insurance the Bears need should 2020 actually happen.
• Twitter: @Hub_Arkush
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July 12, 2020 at 08:21AM
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Three areas where Bears still have real needs - Chicago Daily Herald
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